By Kassidy Tsikitas | Photo Editor
There I am, scrolling on TikTok. Another person claims Frank Ocean will be dropping a song — and it’s not AI-generated. For over two years, hw has teased snippets of new songs or photos of himself in the studio on his Instagram stories.
In honor of this rumor of a song possibly dropping soon, I’m here to go over my favorite songs. Frank Ocean, please come back.
“Bad Religion”
Unrequited love is a universal experience. At some point in life, everyone has loved someone who didn’t feel the same way. “Bad Religion” captures this painful reality — love is never returned. When love becomes an act of worship, it turns into an obsession to start praying for someone to love you back, which can then lead to you having inner turmoil and conflict with spirituality. Love should never be a one-sided devotion, and “Bad Religion” serves as a painful yet beautiful reminder that love, when unreturned, can feel more like a curse than a blessing.
“Biking (Solo)”
“Biking (Solo)” is a reflective song that uses cycling as a metaphor for life’s journey, independence and emotional ups and downs. Unlike biking with others, where you go through the journey with a support system, the concept of biking solo suggests a deeply personal experience. The lyric “I walk in my sleep and can’t help that” implies the disconnect someone might feel when being alone — or basically in auto pilot — which is so real. The metaphor is of a bike pedaling forward, but always returning to the same patterns of life and possibly losing progression.
“Pyramids”
This is my favorite song, personally. “Pyramids” is a sprawling, multi-layered track that explores themes of power, wealth, love and exploitation. The best part of this nearly 10-minute song is the two distinct parts; after the minute-long instrumental, it is clear there is a new feel to the song. Frank portrays Cleopatra as the symbol of beauty and power, but eventually falls, made obvious by the line “They have killed Cleopatra.” The second half switches to a modern setting, where a stripper is referred to as Cleopatra. She still holds her beauty and her power while working at the “pyramids.” This song provides a commentary on the role women play in modern society and history. Overall, it’s genius.
“Voodoo”
Personally, this is my favorite unreleased song from Frank’s discography. Voodoo is referenced as the magical feel of being pulled to someone and falling so deeply in love with them. Holding this deep longing for each other and connection can be powerful. The line “looks like all we got is each other, the truth is obsolete“ takes a comforting tone, foreshadowing human connection being one of the only things being left to hold onto. “Voodoo” is a divine and spiritual song creating an atmosphere where affection feels like a ritual.
“Skyline To”
The track captures the essence of living in the present while being acutely aware the moment won’t last. Lyrics like “summer’s not as long as it used to be” hint at the way time seems to speed up as we grow older, making once-endless seasons feel shorter and more precious. There’s an underlying melancholy in this realization and acceptance that youth, love and even life itself are constantly slipping away. Frank has stream-of-consciousness lyrics that paint vivid yet fragmented images, reinforcing the theme of transient beauty.
Some honorable mentions are “Forbidden,” “Godspeed” and “Pink Matter.” Frank just can’t stop creating songs that change the world of music. Not one song sounds the same, and they all tell a story of the human experience. It’s been over 3000 days since he has released an album. It would be a sweet life if Frank Ocean would come back and save the music industry.
